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Pride Yourself in Organization Inclusivity

Greer Campbell • Jun 13, 2023

The average American professional spends about 90,000 hours of their lives working. That’s roughly 13% of one’s entire life. With such a large amount of time devoted to work, it’s understandable to want a comfortable and safe environment to do so.


This month, we celebrate and acknowledge the history and experiences of the LGBTQA+ communities. While our country has made immense strides toward positive change for the underserved community, there are still major gaps to be filled when it comes to allyship in the workplace. Forbes Magazine estimates approximately 46% of LGBTQ employees do not openly identify in the workplace. This tells us, they do not feel it is a safe space to show up authentically, and not only can that affect their mental health and sense of belonging but will also negatively affect your organization’s rate of success.


To ask for inclusion and comfortability is not to ask for much. Below are some things that make a difference in the community’s experience.


Not Asking Your LGBTQA+ Employees to Conform to the Norms of the Workplace

Inclusion is all about authenticity. Enforcing a certain hairstyle, dress code, and other physical demands can lead to confiscation of one’s entire identity. To an extent, allowing your employees to show up authentically will give them the sense of comfort and support needed to really feel a part of the team.


Implement Policies, Procedures, and Support Groups

Addressing discrimination head on and directly gives your LGBTQ+ employees advocacy and champion. Putting the necessary procedures and programs into place ensures managers and team members have the backing to call out discrimination with an actionable outcome to build a more inclusive company.


Establish an Open-Door Environment

Every employee and team member comes with their own experiences and backgrounds. Some days may show up harder than others, and if your team carries their hardships into work with no outlet for release, it can affect the success and collaboration of your team. Setting the expectation that your team can come to you in any capacity can set a tone that this is more than a job and they are more than just employees. To know someone is supporting you more than just monetarily can create a space for authenticity to flourish and be celebrated.


Finally, the biggest way to begin is to educate yourself. Have the necessary and uncomfortable conversations. Confront any biases you carry head on and decide how you are going to make the change for the better. This month, and every month here-after, we celebrate and appreciate our LGBTQA+ communities.


For more information on inclusion tactics and workshops, visit www.reach-training.org.

Mid-Year Business Update

By Greer Campbell • 04 Sep, 2024
The job market, quiet quitting, uprise of the digital age, and the decline of DEI? The professional world moves quickly, and it’s easy to get lost in the conundrum of new news. Here is your mid-year update. AI is Updating…Surprise Surprise Generative AI is updating their experience from transactional to a more personal approach. Individuals use of the internet will change, implementing 2-way conversation and solution focused models allowing users to get a more catered response. These updates will grant users a deeper understanding, and companies a more “human-like” vision of the brand. The New Future of Planning The concept of tradition has been molded, shifted, and completely torn apart in the past decade. Most of these shifts are seen as positive, yet some pose greater challenges than not. The rise of cost of living and cost of consummation has individuals adjusting their priorities. The global pandemic also threw a wrench in the ways of planning, pushing organizations to shift focus on fluidity and flexibility to ensure retention and growth. The Not So Quiet Quitting Quiet Quitting is a term that has been frequently thrown around since the pandemic. Commonly coined by social media, the act of quiet quitting refers to an employee doing the minimum requirements of their job, lacking effort, creativity, and excitement. According to a Gallup survey of workers taken in June 2022, quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce. This act can be avoided by managers and organizations through regular check ins, employee surveys, and attention to creating a work-life balance. Technology in 2024: Helpful or Overwhelming? Tech advances are happening so rapidly, many feel that it’s become almost impossible to keep up. The advancement of technology is meant to make life easier, however some feel it’s doing the opposite. In addition to user error, technology is also playing a major part in mental health deterioration and wellbeing. The battle for attention, the pull of creativity, and most importantly – the brain rot. Are we letting this go too far?

Interview Questions Your Team Should Avoid

By Greer Campbell • 04 Mar, 2024
Growing your organization requires the right team. Hiring the right team requires the right approach. Vetting and getting to know potential hires is key to building an effective culture. Interviewing candidates is your first chance to understanding applicants, their skill sets, their professional goals, and more. But just as you are vetting applicants, they are vetting you. The interview process allows applicants to gain a better understanding of your organization’s goals, culture, and needs. Setting the right example and perspective on your company begins with your interviews. One wrong or controversial question, and that could break a potential beneficial business relationship. See below for examples of questions to avoid asking candidates in interviews, and why. Are you planning to start a family soon/Are you planning to expand your family soon? While this seems like an obvious conflict, many companies are still asking this to potential employers. This makes the applicant feel like that would make or break their candidacy. Mothers and fathers in business want to feel support from their employer, an unspoken sense of support. Starting a family or having a family does not dictate a candidate’s professional abilities, therefore there is no reason to ask. What are your religious, political, and sexual stances? Again, these are personal attributes that do not affect a candidate’s ability to perform professionally, therefore can be seen as inappropriate and reason for termination of consideration for candidacy. Where are you originally from? While on the surface this may seem like an innocent question, it is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 making it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of national origin. If you ask, you could be accused of discriminating against them. You can, however, ask if the candidate will be able to report to the position location required by the job opening. How old are you? It is illegal to ask someone’s age, you are only allowed to confirm the candidate is of legal age to work full time, being 18 years old. What salary did you make at your previous role? Many states have implemented a salary transparency law, enforcing job postings and descriptions must portray the salary range for the position. Even if your state does not have this law, it is safe to avoid asking a person’s salary history. Instead, share the salary range and confirm the candidate’s expectations are within the range. As the market continues to be competitive and ever changing, engaging a 3 rd party service like Diverse Talent can greatly benefit in finding your organization’s right fit based on our industry expertise.
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